-
Pause.
Today, we are so caught up in media, technology, gossip, global news, economic in/stability, and essentially, way more things than I can list. The advancement of having entertainment at our fingertips has increasingly distracted and distanced us from our need to self-reflect. And yes, it is a need. When we turn our attention inward, it increases creativity and intimacy. Focusing on our thoughts, identifying our feelings, and pondering our purpose and value activates the part of our brains that bring meaning to our lives and strengthens our identity – both of which contribute to a positive well-being. Some people can find moments of pause throughout their day to reflect, show gratitude, pray, and/or appreciate; others…
-
Listen.
People just straight up do. not. pay. attention. Maybe it’s because I’m true to my word and not super forgetful that people fail to recognize that I rarely need reminding, and I say pretty much exactly what I mean. Examples: A lady emailed me about a couple of things. I told her I would have the planting schedule to her by the end of the week, but continued to communicate with her on traceability. By the end of our few exchanges, she said “I still need the ranches and blocks on these plantings.” Uh, yeah, I know. It was Wednesday. I told her I’d have them to her by the end of the week. I still had 2 days…
-
Happiness.
Philosophers caution against focusing on happiness as the ultimate good in life, and I tend to agree. Happiness is subjective; it’s not a constant. I think we’ve put happiness on this unobtainable pedestal. It’s something that we haven’t actually defined for ourselves as individuals, and we strive for an unrealistic, curated ideal (however it is we perceive that ideal). Basically, we really don’t even know what we are searching for. What we talk about in our culture as happiness is really kind of a revved-up version of happiness. It’s a high-energy [state] — scientists call it a high-arousal positive affect. It’s a feeling, it’s transient, it’s not quality of life, it’s not so…
-
Heart.
Have you ever really paid attention to where you feel emotions in your body? It’s quite an interesting experiment that I recommend you try. I did it for a week, and I learned that nearly every emotion I feel somewhere in the central portion of my body. But it wasn’t all that surprising when I thought about it. When my heart breaks, I feel it in my heart. When I get nervous, I feel it in my stomach. When I feel joy, I feel it in my heart. When I feel excitement, I feel it in my stomach. I don’t feel emotions in my head or my legs. As you learned, our gut is becoming known in the science community…
-
Vibe.
Humans are an interesting species, aren’t they? Trying to wrap my head around the social behaviors occurring during this pandemic has my mind running overtime. I mean, I’m not surprised with some of the things that are happening. Humans are social animals who conform in response to perceived pressure from others. That’s basic psychology. But here’s a fun video to demonstrate just because: What has surprised me most about this situation is the positivity. So many people are truly trying to make the best of this situation and are trying to spread joy throughout their communities. I’ve seen videos of teachers parading through neighborhoods in a caravan to see their students. I’ve seen small pop-up “give…
-
Semmelweis.
Have you ever heard of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis? Neither have most people, so I included a link. No need to follow it though, cause I’m going to tell you about him anyway. 😊 Dr. Semmelweis was a doctor in the mid-1800s. The mortality rate in the maternity clinic where he practiced was 1 in 10. At the time, conventional medicine called for separate treatment of each symptom. So rather than treating a fever, a headache, and trouble breathing with one method, they would use three separate methods. But still, nothing seemed to work. The women who contracted the disease which came to be known as ‘childbed fever’ died within days. Dr. Semmelweis became obsessed with…